Weather-board gage



(No Model.)

I J. E. SMITH.

WEATHER BOARD GAGE. I No. 364,056. Patented May 31, 1,887

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IN VHNTOR ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

WEATHER-BOARD GAGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 364,056, dated May 31, 1887.

Application filed March 24,)857. SerialNo. 232,330. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES HENRY SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing in Little Rock, Pulaski county, Arkansas, have invented av new and useful Improvement in Weather-Board Gages, of which the following 1s a specification.

My improvement consists in an improved gage for use in weather-boarding, whichoperates as an adjustable gage, nail for supporting the board to be next secured to the building, hatchet which is usually employed in removing said nails, try-square, and straight-edge.

My invention will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my gage. Fig. 2 is a detail view.

The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both figures.

Referring to the several parts by letter, A indicates the body of the gage, which is marked on one side with a suitable scale of numbers, A, and is formed with a longitudinal slot, B, through which passes an adjustable thumb' screw, Of, the lower end of which screws in a threaded aperture of an adjustable stop, D, which is moved and secured inits adjusted position by the set-screw. The stop D is formed with side wings, D, as shown, which prevent it from turning on the set-screw. At the upper end of the gage body A, transversely thereof, is secured a point or nail, E, having the extended head E, formed with the upwardly-projecting lip F1 at its outer end.

F G represent gage-rods, the lower one of which, F, hasits stem secured at the inner end thereof in the adjustable stop D, its outer free end being bent out at right angles to its stem, while the upper gage-rod, G, is bent to form three sides of a hollow square, its longest or inner end being secured in and passing transversely through the gage-body A above the upper end of the longitudinal slot 13 and forming a pivot for the bifurcated upper end of a lever, H, the said bifurcated ends extending up above the pivotal point, as shown, while the handle of the lever normally lies nearly parallel with the gage-body.

The free side or end of the upper gage-rod, G, which is parallel with the part thereof which extends through the gage-body, is bent back upon itself, as shown at a, and is provided at its extremity with a head, G, and has pivoted or hinged upon its part G one end of a .straightedge or rule, I, the outer edge of which is formed near each end with flanges J J, bent out at right angles to the body of the rule, as shown.

In operation the'stop D is placed under the edge of the first board, at one end thereof, (my improved gages being made and used in pairs rights and leftsas will be readily understood, one at each end ofthe board.) and, the setscrew Ghaving been loosened, the gage A is slid up the requisite height and secured in its adjusted position by tightening the set-screw. The nail E is then driven in the board by blows with a hammer on its head E, and the next board is then placed upon the outer part of the nails'E of the two gages employed. Before the nails are driven into the board, however,

each gage is moved so that the gage-rods.F G

press against the'molding, after which its nail is driven into the first board, as described. The second board now resting upon the nails E, the hinged rule or straight-edge I of each gage is turned up over the second board, with the flanges J J resting against the upright molding above and below the second board, anda pencil is drawn across the board against the straight-edge, marking where the end of the board is to be sawed off to make the joint.

It will be seen that that end of the rule I which is pivoted on the outer free end of the gage-rod G is of less width than the length of said pivot end to permit of some lateral adj ustment of the straightedge, the object of this construction being that if the gage A has not been pushed as close to the molding as it should have been before nailing the straight-v edge can be moved laterally across the board to be marked until its flanges J bear against the molding.

When the board has had its ends duly marked and sawed off, and has been firmly nailed in position, the carpenter withdraws the nail E of ICO connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction, operation, and advantages of my invention will be readily understood. will be seen that my improved gage is simple and strong in construction, being made entirely of iron, with the exception of the nailhead E, which is preferably made of steel, to resist the blows of the hammer, and is exceedingly efficient in its operation, while it dispenses with the use of separate nails for holding the board in position while being marked and nailedin position, and with a straight rule and means for withdrawing the nails which hold the board in position while being marked and nailed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. The combination, with the gage body having a stop and at its upper or one end a nail, of the lever having a bifurcated upper end, through which passes the gage'body, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with the gagebody having the adjustable stop and the nail hav ing the extended head, of the lever having the pivoted bifurcated upper end, through which passes the gage-body.

3. The combination, with the gage body having the adjustable stop and the nail having the extended head, of the wire gagerods,

and the rule formed with the end flanges and I having the reduced pivoted upper end, said rule being connected to said upper gage-rod,

all substantially as described.

JAMES HENRY SMITH.

\Vitnesses:

AUGUSTUS RICHMOND, G. E. J ONES. 

